Mail-bag catcher and deliverer.



R. M. CANTILLD. MAIL BAG CATOHEB AND DELIVERLEB..` APPLIOATION IILED'MAR. 11l 1908,

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ROSARIO M. CANTILLO, OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BAG CATCHER AND DELIVERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

Application led March 11, 1908. Serial No. 420,415.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROSARIO M. OANTILLO, a subject of Italy, who on February 24, 1908, at Norristown, Pennsylvania, filed his declaration to become a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Norristown, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful .Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers and Deliverers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail bag catchers and deliverers, and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide simple, reli- S able and efficient means for catching a suspended bag and carrying it into the door of a mail car and at the same time delivering a mail bag from the mail car to the post at the side of the track.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for suspending the mail bags by means of cords orwires and to provide a series of lingers on the catcher and deliverer for releasing the cords which support the mail bags and transferring them.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure l is a front elevation of a mail bag catcher and deliverer made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mail bag catcher and deliverer in osition to catch and deliver a mail bag. ig. 4 is a detail plan view and partial section of the fork or fingers for engaging the suspending cord. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the upper end of the crane or stationary member of the device. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the trigger.

Referring to the drawings for a more specific descri tion of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a mail car, and supported upon brackets 2 inside the car is a pair of arms 3, 4, said arms being pivoted upon a rod 5 which extends through said arms and through the brackets 2. The arm 3 is provided with a pair of lingers 6 which are spaced apart and provided with an intermediate slot. Pivoted to the plate 7 upon which the fingers 6 are formed is a disk 8 provided with a notch 9. When the disk 8 is turned in one direction the stop 9a comes in contact with the projecting lip 9*. Oonnected to the disk 8 is one end of a spring 10, the opposite end of which is connected to a staple 11 on the arm 3. A trigger 12 is connected to a rod 13, and the outer end of the lever 12 engages a notch 14 in the disk 8.

The rod 13 is provided with a spiral spring 15, and said rod is journaled in lugs 16 formed upon the arm 3. The trigger 12 is formed on an arm 17 provided with a rabbeted end 18 which engages the similarly rabbeted end of a bar 19 pivoted at 20 to a plate upon which the fork or lingers 21 are formed.

At the upper end of the rod 13 a disk 13a is secured, said disk being provided with a notch 13b. A spring stop or pawl 13c is secured to the arm 3, the end of said stop bear* ing against the periphery of the disk 13El and being adapted to spring into the notch 13b when the rod 13 is turned in position to engage said parts. A knob 13d on the spring stop 13c serves as a finger hold to withdraw the spring from the notch.

The arm 4 at its outer end is provided with a series of fingers 22 spaced apart and provided with latches 23 pivoted at 24 and provided with a spring 25 to throw them outward to engage the next adjacent linger and prevent the suspending cord of the mail bag from removal therefrom. A rod 26 is journaled in the lugs 27 and provided with an encircling spring 28, one end of which is secured to the rod 26 and the opposite end to the lug 27, said rod 26 having an angular member 29 which holds the mail bag 30 against movement by the wind.

The crane or stationary member of the device comprises a post 31, to the upper end of which the arm 32 is pivoted upon a rod 33 journaled in brackets 34 on the post. The arm 32 is provided with converging braces 35, and on the end of the arm 32 are a series of fingers identical in structure with those shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. A rod 36 is journaled in the braces 35 and is provided with a right-angular member 37 which is designed to hold the mail bag 38 against move,- ment in the wind. A latch 39 on the arm 32 is adapted to engage a keeper 40 on the post 31 to hold the arm 32 against swinging upon its pivot 33.

Fingers 41 are spaced apart and adapted to support between them a ball 42 connected to a cord or wire 43 provided with a snap hook 44 engaging the mail bag 30. A similar ball 45 connected to a cord or wire 46 is provided with a snap hook 47 to engage the mail bag 38.

A cord 49 secured to an eye 49a is led over are swung in position to prevent the wind from interfering withthe operation of the device. As the mail car moves along in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 the fingers 21 and 2Q engage the cords 43 and 46 and withdraw the same from between the fingers 6 and 41.

Wyinvention is of comparatively simple construction, is strong, durable and efficient in use and can be readily installed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

l. A mail bag catcher comprising a pair of arms pivoted to the mail car, one'of said arms having a pair of fingers projecting therefrom and the other arm having a series of fingers comprising a catching fork, a post provided with a crane having a series of fingers projecting therefrom, and an arm provided with a pair of fingers for supporting a mail bag by means of a cord and ball.

2. In a mail bag catcher, a pair of fingers, a disk pivotally mounted between said fingers and provided with a notch, a spring connected to said disk, a trigger engaging a notch in said disk, and means whereby said trigger is actuated-to release the disk, and a mail bag suspended from a cord and connected to said disk.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROSARIO M. CANTILLO.

Witnesses KATHERINE H. FOX, WM. F. DANNEHOWER. 

